Princess of Flames
by Shadows of Raven
Summary: [Oneshot][Spoilers for Zuko Alone] Lethal, beautiful and fast, Azula is a deadly warrior with a lust for power, and when these two mix, will she allow even family to get in the way of her rising to power? R&R!


**Princess of Flames**

_Azula's POV_

Victory was all that mattered. With victory came power and perfection, with victory came everything.

That was how I had been raised sincemy birth. And it made me who I was, it made me strong. Nothing but victory mattered, not even family: they were disposable and meaningless pawns in the bigger scale of things. Just like Mai and Ty Lee. I felt no remorse.

Iroh, Zuko, father, mother, grandfather, Lu Ten, they were all just pawns inmy great scheme to rise to the throne. And the time drew near.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

At last, my bonehead mother left. I had business to do and Ursa was tyingme down. I stood at the gate of the Fire Palace, and Ursa was walking away. Once I was sure my mother was within the palace I sidestepped to a nearby bush. That idiot was late. I waited angrily for about a half an hour before the fool came into view.

"At last," I muttered to myself. I put my clawed hand out and pulled the man into the bush, ignoring his complaints at thorns. "Shut up, you're late as it is and you will respect your princess," I snapped. "What news have you of the siege of Ba Sing Se?" I asked. "Is he dead?"

"Princess Azula this does not seem right," the soldier said, but he was silenced by the iciness of my glare. "Yes, your highness, Prince Lu Ten is dead, just as you commanded. He was in command of the right flank, as I said, and I was able to shoot him easily in the neck with a dart," he finished, ashamed.

"Excellent, now that coward Iroh will crumble before he even reaches the city, and I have father in the palm of my hand. Now go," I snapped. "Before I get out of my good mood."

The soldier nodded and scurried out of the bush. No doubt the herald saying my cousin was dead would arrive soon; I had to hurry. Ursa was already suspicious of me, and I could not afford more difficulties. My plan to eliminatemy mother would have to be put into action, and soon.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Later that evening, I walked into my father's study. "Daddy?" I asked innocently.

"Ah, my little prodigy," he smiled and welcomed me in. "What do you think of your cousin's death?"

I inwardly grinned. "It is a tragedy, but daddy, don't you realize what this means?" I asked.

He looked at me questioningly. "Uncle no longer has a blood line," I said. "What if Iroh dies, then the Fire Lord's line will stop, won't it?"

Ozai seemed deep in thought. "Yes, I suppose so."

"So," I began. "You should present this to grandfather, and then you will be in line for the throne," I told him.

Ozai looked up at me. "Thank you, Azula, you have broadened my horizons."

I turned around and smiled, walking out of the study.

The next day news came of Iroh's defeat at Ba Sing Se. I hid my grin when Ursa told Zuko and I. Everything was falling into place: with uncle's loss of son, battle and confidence, Azulon would have to pass the throne to Ozai… but perhaps I could do a little bit more damage.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

That afternoon, an hour before we were to meet with the Fire Lord as a family, I crept to his throne room.

"Firelord Azulon," I bowed before my decrepit grandfather.

"What do you seek, Princess Azula?" he asked impatiently. "And why have you come ahead of your family?"

"I come bearing sad tidings, Firelord," I lowered my head and smirked. "My father has ignored the pain of dear Uncle Iroh and wishes for you to give him the throne," I sniffed. "If I may be so bold as to say so, Firelord, it does not seem right that father should receive the throne so selfishly. Perhaps he should feel equal pain as to poor Uncle so that he may know what General Iroh is going through," I suggested slyly.

Azulon was silent for a few moments. "You speak wisely, Azula, and I will consider what you have said. Go now, Princess," he said, dismissing me. I got up and left, smirking at the folly of the old man.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Everything went as planned. I even pulled ZuZu to the side of the throne room when Azulon had dismissed Ursa, Zuko and I. He missed the good part though.

"You must know the pain of losing your first born," Azulon thundered after Zuko had left. "And thus, Prince Zuko shall be put… to death!"

I had heard all I needed to, and I crept away to Zuko's room. I knocked and went in, not bothering for an answer. "Dad's gonna kill you… literally," I smirked.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. I began to explain, but my stupid mother knocked on the door and entered.

She looked at me and said, "Young lady, we need a talk." I felt like striking her down with lighting right then and there, but then all of my work would be for nothing, so I followed.

"Yes, mother?" I asked.

She bent down and took hold of my shoulders. _Let me go, woman_, I thought, sneering.

"Azula," she began… but she never finished. Ozai came around the corner at that moment and demanded Ursa's presence. She looked at me and said, "We will finish this conversation later."

Midnight.

The palace stirred with movement still, and I was wide awake, preparing myself for what must be done next. Zuko would be dead soon, Iroh was defeated, Lu Ten was gone, and now only three obstacles remained. I snuck out of my room and crept along the walls of the palace, keeping in the shadows. I slipped into Zuko's room and crept to his bedside table. He was asleep and There it was: the knife Uncle Iroh had given him. Stupid Iroh had given Zuko a pearl knife, and what had I gotten? Stupid dolls from Ba Sing Se…

I grinned. It didn't matter because soon Zuko would be dead along with the rest of my pathetic family. _Why?_ I asked myself. _Why! Because victory is everything! These fools stand inmy way. With Lu Ten dead and Iroh defeated, the throne has been passed to Ozai, but Zuko is still first in line. So he, too will perish along with Ursa, for she is the last one who does not trust me! Furthermore, Azulon and Ozai must fall so I can rise as Fire Lady!_

I snuck out of the room without another thought like that, but my heart froze. Ursa was walking down the hall to Zuko's room… if she caught me my plans would be spoiled… I could kill her, but that was not my mission for tonight, and with both her and grandfather dead all fingers would point to me. I took a deep breath to compose myself and sunk into the shadows of the night, as silent as the grave. I held my breath, my blood frozen, and my muscles tense until Ursa passed me, not even noticing my gold eyes in the shadows. She walked right past me into Zuko's room, but not with the usual pride she carried… was it fear? I didn't know, and I didn't care… I had a mission to do.

I crept silently through the dark palace to grandfather's room, and I creaked the door open. I slipped in, and saw Fire Lord Azulon, sleeping… apparently he did not think witnessing the death of his grandson important enough to get up from his sleep. I sneered, what did I care? I walked over his sleeping form and unsheathed Zuko's dagger, raising it above my head.

It plunged into _dear old grandfather_. His body jerked in pain, but then relaxed in the coldness of death. Blood soaked his sheets and skin, and the pearl white of the dagger was stained with red. I grinned evilly. "Good night, grandfather."

Everything was falling into place. I wiped the blood on his sheets and sheathed the dagger, leaving the room without a morsel of remorse within me. I glided confidently through the palace until a sight outside caught my eye. I slid to the window and peered outside… _yes_. Someone was being burned at the stake, and Firelord Ozai was standing calmly by… but Ursa was not there.

Dammit.

I looked at who was being burned… it _was _Ursa. Now Zuko still remained alive, but at least Ursa was dead. Still, I had to find a way to eliminate Zuko. I glared at the sigh outside, and was slithering back to my room when I heard footsteps. I sidestepped behind a pillar, but sighed in relief. It was just ZuZu.

I came out from behind the pillar, toying with the dagger just to annoy him. "Give me it back!" he demanded.

"You know, no one's seen mom for awhile," I smirked, and threw him the dagger. (A/N: I'm not sure if that was the exact conversation but it was something around those lines) I walked off to my room, leaving Zuko dumbfounded. It didn't matter, I could wait a while before I struck next.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Three years had passed since that fateful night, and I had waited patiently to put the rest of my plan into action. Only Ozai, Zuko and Iroh remained, and I knew the time was coming. Iroh had developed a soft spot for Zuko, and Zuko seemed to be appalled by atrocities of war… a weakness that would eventually be beneficial to me.

The day came. Zuko was to attend his first war council and it was directly after the slaughter of an Earth Kingdom village, and I happened to know that the next target was the Southern Water Tribe.

I grinned as I watched Zuko emerge from the War Council, his head hung in shame. Soon I found out why: he had dishonored the Firelord, just as I had hoped he would. Now he would have to fight his father, but I knew that he did not have the heart to do so, and he would be exiled.

I was right. He was scarred and disgraced in front of the Fire Nation, and I stood at the side, holding back my laughter. Even better, I got a two-for-one… my dear old Uncle Iroh went into exile with him as a 'guide.' Now my brother and uncle were on some wild goose chase to find the Avatar… but it mattered not.

"Excellent…" I whispered to myself as I heard the news. Everything had fallen into place. The fools of the Fire Nation had been snared within my trap, and I would soon rule the world as Fire Lady Azula.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A year later I was summoned to my Ozai's throne room, which would soon be mine. I could not strike against Ozai too quickly… I needed to catch my sly father off guard. But the time would come.

I knelt obediently in front of the roaring flames behind which he sat. He spoke harshly: "Your Uncle Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure… I have a task for you."

I raised my head and smiled, my red lipstick and golden eyes gleaming in the leaping fires. _Soon father, you will fall into my trap. I have ensnared you too far for you to escape, and once the time is right, you will be fall and the Fire Nation will be mine!_

After all, victory is everything… and I am the embodiment of victory.

I am Azula.

A/N: This is only my 2nd oneshot and I'm a little unsure about it so please don't flare at me if you hate it…


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